Seeking creative solutions

While the Siskiyou Golden Fair is certainly facing a fiscal challenge with the elimination of state funding, fair CEO Cliff Munson said, “We’re not in such dire straights that we’re thinking the fair is going to close in the next couple of years."

While the Siskiyou Golden Fair is certainly facing a fiscal challenge with the elimination of state funding, fair CEO Cliff Munson said, “We’re not in such dire straights that we’re thinking the fair is going to close in the next couple of years. It’s not anything like that.” As a matter of fact, Munson said, “I want people to understand that, this year, we’re going to have a bigger and better fair than we’ve ever had.” But maintaining that tradition is going to take some creative community involvement.

Munson explained that the fair is faced with the challenge of finding a way to survive on the revenue it can create for itself. The recent economic downturn and resulting fiscal crisis in California triggered the elimination of all state support for county fairs beginning in 2011. For the Siskiyou Golden Fair that equals almost $300,000 including cash and services. Other fairgrounds around the state are working to become self-sustaining using Joint Powers Agreements or 501 C3 nonprofits as the governing body.

The state’s 10th District Agricultural Association will be hosting an informational meeting about the situation titled “The State of our Siskiyou Golden Fair.” The meeting will offer information on the history of the fair and discuss recent changes and planning for the future. This meeting will give the fair and local citizens the opportunity to come together and explore local solutions to help the fair sustain itself in the future.

While the Siskiyou Golden Fair is a cherished local institution, many county residents are unaware of just how important it is to the local economy. In addition to the money attendees spend at the annual fair, the event creates an economic ripple effect in Siskiyou County.

According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s report “Economic Impact of California Fairs,” the Siskiyou Golden Fair generated $3.018 million in local spending activity in 2009. The report also found that spending resulted in $16,900 in business taxes as well as creating 28 additional jobs.

Munson said the report does not reflect income for the local nonprofit organizations that vend at the fair. He said those vendors usually gross around $300,000 from their fair sales. That money goes to local organizations that reinvest it in local community services which translates into additional value for county residents.

In addition to the entertainment, education and economic activity generated by the fair, its facilities also provide year-round opportunities for public and private events such as weddings, concerts, rallies, auto racing, equestrian events, meetings and seminars. The fairgrounds are also used as an evacuee shelter and staging area for disaster relief operations such as forest fires and floods.

Munson said the fair itself earned about $621,000 in income last year. He said this year that number still falls short of fulfilling the fair’s annual budget by about $60,000 to $70,000 – a shortfall that will require creative solutions to compensate for it.

Page 2 of 2 - Rather than reducing the budget by cutting services or events at the fair, Munson hopes to find a game plan that will not only help the fair to fill that deficit, but also raise enough additional money to create a multi-million dollar nonprofit fund to sustain the fair far into the future.

“That’s what the meeting is all about,” said Munson. “We want people to come out and tell us what the fair means to them and help us think of creative ways to generate more annual revenue so the fair can be self-sustaining.”

The public meeting will be held in Winema Hall on Tuesday, Jan. 29, starting at 6 p.m. For more information about the fair or the upcoming meeting, contact the Siskiyou Golden Fair office at 842-2767 or info@sisqfair.com.